AS a citizen who is all for the preservation of environment and wild life, I would like to express my deepest appreciation for the bold and wise decision of the Balochistan government to ban all hunting in the province. The Balochistan government has asked the federal government not to issue hunting permits (and that includes the Houbara bustard) as hunting is now a provincial subject. The Balochistan cabinet has also directed all 34 deputy commissioners of the province to ensure that no hunting takes place in their respective districts.

Will the other three provinces learn from Balochistan and follow suit?

Getting your finest animals and birds killed purely for the sake of appeasement of a few princes and a few coins is demeaning and unbecoming of a sovereign state.

Can I also request the Foreign Office to reconsider its ludicrous “hunting is a pillar of our foreign policy” stance and move on to more humane, rational and honourable policy options.

Naeem Sadiq

Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2017